Type-bar.



L. RANNEY.

TYPE BAR.

APPLICATION FILM) 11011.2, 1911.

1,048,878, Patented Dec. 31, 1912.

LEO RANNEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TYPE-BAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, i912.

Application filed November 2, 191 1. 4 Serial No. 658,229.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEO RANNEY, a citizen ofthe United States, residingat New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements inType-Bars, of which thefollowing is a specification.

'My invention relates to typewriters and has-particular reference to adevice adapted to ellminate to a certain extent, the noise attendantupon the impact of the type bars upon the platen.

It is well known that the use of typewriting machines in businesso-flices is objectionable, due to the noise of the machine in operation.Much, if not all of the noise is caused by the impact of the type faceagainst the platen of the machine.

One of the principal objects therefore of my invention is the provisionof novel means in connection with a type bar whereby much of the noiseheretofore complained of is eliminated. Furthermore, by the use of mydevice a more uniform impression is secured, due to the fact that'theforce of the blow on the platen is graduated or regulated by themounting of the type on the type bar. I am aware that it is not broadlvnew to employ a resilient mounting for the type upon the type bar,meaning thereby a type member carried by a yielding support, such as aspring, whereby the type may yield under impact. I am also aware thatrubber type is in general use, and that printing plates have beenmounted on resilient backin My invention operates onanentirely difierentprinciple and to secure a different result. The principle employed isthat of free vibration of the type-carrying member, and the object is-tocushion the shock or impact, thus delivering a softer blow. Anotherobject is to deaden the metallic sound or click of the type when itstrikes the paper on the platen of thetypewriter. These objects arefurthered by, but are not exclusively dependent on, the use of ayielding pad between the type-carrying member and the base therefor.

In the particular construction I have chosen to illustrate my invention,the flexible or vibratable member is formed as a separate part attachedat its ends to the base member, but I do not wish to be understood aslimiting my invention to'this particular embodiment as my invention issufiiciently broad to include a mount in which the flexible orvibratable member is formed as an integral part of the base and in whichsuch member is secured at its middle or at one -tacting the platen; Fig.2 is an enlarged detail of the end of the type bar, showing my novelattaching means for the type, and Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line3-3 of Fig. 2.

It will be understood that the construction herein illustrated is moreor less diagrammatic as to the details of the typewriter proper.However, it is believed that sufficient of the typewriter is shown inorder to make clear the connection between the parts.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be seen that to a shaft I pivot atype bar 11, which type bar is in effect a rocker, to the short arm 12of which is connected the link 13, which 1s in turn properly connectedto a key not shown. To the outer end of the type bar is secured arectangular body of metal or base 14, of a length suflicient to supportin spaced relation the type or printing faces, and of a widthcorresponding to the width of the type. Within a groove 14 in this baseI place a quantity of felt 15, or other similar sound-deadening,slightly resilient material. Over this felt I place a preferablymetallic cover 16, having depending end portions 17, fitting over theend walls of the bod y portion 14 and properly secured by means ofset-screws 18. On this cover 15 I 'mount type faces 19, as desired. Onreference to Fig. 1, it will be seen that actuation of the link 13 tothe left will cause the travel of the type bar in the arc of the circleindicated, until the dotted line position is reached, where one of thetype faces will contact the platen 20. It will also be seen that theimpact of the blow will be reatly lessened by the use of felt or othereadening materlal, and that inasmuch as the ma jority of the letters areprinted from the middle of the three type faces shown, that a still moreresilient action will be secured than if the printing were performedwith reduces the noise.

I either of the two extreme type faces. Furthermore, it will be seenthat because of the resilient action, the work turned out by theoperator will be more uniform and have a better appearance.

The resultant action is due to two causes; first, the cover of the mountisitself slightly flexible or elastic, due to the fact that it is a thinsheet of material supported only at its ends and therefore while thecover gives the necessary firmness of support it does not produce asmuch noise as a solid type base; secondly, the feltpacking which is of aflocculent nature, supports the flexible cover modifying or limiting itsmovement according to the density of the packing while it absorbs ordeadens the shock, and materially While the flexible cover and thepacking are separately useful, they co-a'ct when together and Ipreferably so employ them. However, I do not Wish to limit my inventionnecessarily to their conjoint use.

It is obvious that many modifications may be made in the constructionherein shown and I do not therefore wish to be limited to the. exactform shown and described.

I claim:

1. In a typewriter having a platen therefor, the combination of a typebar, a mount or base provided with a recess and carried by the type bar,one wall of said mount consisting of a thin sheet of freely vibratablematerial having type characters thereon, and a body of fiocoulent orresilient material packed within said recess and in contact with saidWall, thereby softening the blow when said type characters are broughtinto contact with paper on said platen, substantially' as described.

2. In a typewriter having a platen therefor, the combination of a typebar and a type mounting carried by said bar, said type mountingcomprising a base, and a thin sheet of type-carrying material attachedto saidbase and flexible in its bod portion, whereby a yieldingresistance is o ered when said type is brought into contact with paperon said platen, substantially as described.

3. In a typewriter having a platen therefor, the combination of a typebar, and a type mounting carried by said bar, said mounting comprising abase, a thin sheet of freely vibratable type-carrying material fixedlyattached to said base, and resilient material confined between said baseand said type-carrying sheet, thereby reducing the shock or impact whenthe type is brought into contact with paper on said platen,substantially as described.

4. A device'of the class described comprising, in combination, a pivotedrocker, a grooved block secured to the free end of said rocker,noise-deadening material seated in the groove in said block, a cover forsaid block and type disposed on said cover, substantially as described.

5. A device of the class described comprising, in combination, a pivotedrocker having a rectangular, grooved body of material at one endthereof, padding seated in said body, a cover for said body and typemounted on said cover, substantially as described.

6. A device of the class described comprising, in combination, a pivotedrocker having a rectangular body of material mounted on one end thereof,said body of material having a groove on one face thereof, resilientmaterial located in said groove, a cover for said block, fastening meanswhereby said cover is attached to said block at two points, and typemounted on said cover, substantially as described.

7. In a typewriter, the combination of a type bar and a type mounting,said type mounting comprising the combination of a base, a flexibletype-carrying tached to, said base, and sound deadening material betweensaid type-carrying member and said base, substantially as described.

LEO RANNEY.

Witnesses: V i

S. A. MITCHELL, MILLY G. D. MITCHELL.

member at-

